European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 eliminator

SCOTT HENDERSON TURNS
CLOCK BACK WITH 66
TO SHARE LEAD

Scott Henderson, pictured right, brought back memories of the 1990s when he was European Tour Rookie of the Year with a six-under-par round of 66 to share the lead at the end of the third round at Costa Ballena, one of the four venues for this week’s European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 eliminator.
Henderson has broken 70 in each of three rounds so far and is sitting pretty at 13-under-par 203, sharing the lead at his venue with Englishman Kieran Staunton.
At the end of Saturday’s fourth and final round at Costa Ballena, PGA Catalunya, Emporda and Sherry Golf Jerez, approximately the top 20 at each venue will go forward to next week’s Final Qualifying School at San Roque on the southernmost tip of the Costa del Sol.
Euan Little from Portpatrick (nine-under-par 207) and Graeme Brown from Montrose (eight-under 208) are in joint 15th and 24th places repectively at Costa Ballena. Little just needs to tread water and he is through to next week’s action. Brown needs to improve at least four places.
Out of it at this venue would appear to be Peter Whiteford, even through he is on six-under-par 210, David Patrick, Paul McKechnie and Chris Doak, all on 210. Whiteford is joint 36th and the others sharing 47th place.
At Sherry Golf Jerez, there are no Scots in the leading 20 after three rounds. Jamie McLeary (214) in a share of 26th place is the closest to being on the fringe of contention.
At PGA Catalunya, Paul Doherty didn’t do his prospects much good with a third-round 76 for level par 213. He is sharing 15th place. But Walker Cup man Lloyd Saltman has slipped after an opening 65 to 78 and 74 for four-over 217 and his hopes have all but gone unless he produces something special in the last round.
At Emporda, Eric Ramsay (jt 18th on 207) has a chance of making the top 20 but Jack Doherty (212) looks as though the chance has gone for another year.

SCOREBOARD

EMPORDA
(Par 70: Leading 20 to qualify)
201 (-9) Simon Lilly (Eng) 66 70 65.
202 Marcus Both (Australia) 69 68 65, Magnus Carlsson (Swe) 68 68 66, Raphael Eyraud (Fra) 67 68 67.
203 Robert Dinwiddie (Eng) 66 71 66, Michele Reale (Ita) 65 68 70, Sean Whiffin (Eng) 66 71 66.
Scots’ scores:
207 Eric Ramsay 69 70 68 (jt 18th).
212 Jack Doherty 68 74 70 (jt 43rd).
PGA CATALUNYA
(Par 71: Leading 20 to qualify)
200 (-13) Roope Kakko (Fin) 66 69 65.
202 Manuel Quiros (Spa)68 68 66.
Scots scores:
213 Paul Doherty 67 70 76 (jt 15th).
217 (am) Lloyd Saltman 65 78 74 (jt 35th).
221 Barry Hume 74 74 73 (jt 53rd).
COSTA BALLENA
(Par 72: Leading 20 to qualify).
203 (-13) Scott Henderson (Sco) 68 69 66, Kieran Staunton (Eng) 67 69 67.
Other Scots scores:
207 Euan Little 66 69 72 (jt 15th).
208 Graeme Brown 69 69 70 (jt 24th).
210 Peter Whiteford 67 73 70 (jt 36th).
212 David Patrick 71 71 70, Paul McKechnie 72 68 72, Chris Doak 74 71 67 (jt 47th).
218 Alasdair Hay 73 74 71, (am) Mark Kerr 71 73 74 (jt 73rd).
SHERRY GOLF JEREZ
(Par 72: Leading 19 to qualify).
205 (-11) Raphael de Sousa (Swi) 72 67 66.
207 Andrew Tampion (Australia) 66 71 70.
Other scores:
211 (am) Oliver Fisher (Eng) 73 67 71.
214 Jamie McLeary 71 72 71, (am) George Murray 69 75 70 (jt 26th).
215 Graham Fox 69 74 72 (jt 35th).
217 (am) Scott Jamieson 75 73 69 (jt 56th).
218 Murray Urquhart 74 75 69 (jt 61st).
Withdrew: Greig Hutcheon 73 79 -.